Pacific Crest selected to march in 2019 Rose Parade

The 130th running of the world's largest and most famous parade will be seen on television by more than five million viewers worldwide. The event will be held on January 1, 2019 in Pasadena, a southern California city in the same region as the corps' hometown of Diamond Bar.

“We wanted to do something special to cap off our 25th anniversary in 2018, and thought marching in the parade would be a great way finish off that celebration,” said Stuart Pompel, Pacific Crest executive director.

Ensembles are selected by the Tournament of Roses based on a variety of criteria including musicianship, marching ability and entertainment value. In order to be considered, all bands must submit detailed applications, which include photos, video footage and letters of recommendation.

“The application process was grueling, and when I received the phone call we made it in, followed by the acceptance package wrapped in a big bow, it was all like a dream,” Pompel added.

Pacific Crest will carry on a small but proud tradition of drum corps that have marched the five-and-a-half mile-long parade route. Most recently that included Santa Clara Vanguard whose members participated in the 2017 event and the members of the United States Marine Drum and Bugle who will be seen in Pasadena in 2018.

While January of 2019 may seem ages away at this point, Pacific Crest is already working through the logistical details that it will take to organize and participate in this event.

“We'll be performing prior to our membership being set for our 2019 corps, which is why we'll be asking some of our recent alums to participate as well,” Pompel said. “We're in the process of looking for a rehearsal site nearer to Pasadena for when we bring the corps together on December 26 of next year.

“In addition, we have to figure out how to obtain uniforms for all parade marchers. It will still cost us tens of thousands of dollars for all expenses we'll incur.”

To that end, Pompel says that Pacific Crest will be holding a fundraising gala in May of 2018 to start raising the needed capital to participate and to kick off the celebration of the corps' monumental 25th anniversary season.

“There's no way we could have prepared our application without 25 years of performance excellence,” Pompel said. “Every alum of the organization—plus all our staff over the past quarter century—should feel proud that they own a piece of the success.”